As is known, to safeguard the environment, increasing effort is being made, and in many countries tighter restrictions are being imposed, to control the exhaust of internal combustion engines.
As regards diesel engines in particular, the main problems are due to the presence in the exhaust gas of nitric oxides (NO .sub.x) and particulates, as opposed to a very low content of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC).
Nitric oxides in particular are currently believed to be a serious source of pollution, by contributing towards and increasing the formation of the so-called "hole" in the ozone layer, and by forming, in the presence of sunlight, aggressive products resulting in various human (eye and skin) ailments and in damage to various types of material.
Various nitric oxide reducing systems are therefore being researched, one of which (EGR system) provides for recirculating the burnt gases, but is insufficient to meet stricter future requirements. Research is also being conducted into so-called DENOX e.g. zeolite, catalysts, which have a reducing effect and assist the reaction between the nitric oxides and other exhaust gas components. Such catalysts, however, are in themselves only moderately effective, so that additional steps must be taken to achieve a really effective reduction in nitric oxide. In particular, the efficiency of the reduction reaction has been found to be greatly improved in the presence of hydrocarbons which participate directly in the catalytic nitric oxide reducing action of the zeolites; and since diesel fuel has been found to be one of the best performing hydrocarbons, a solution has been devised whereby diesel fuel is injected upstream from the Denox catalyst, where it mixes with the exhaust gas to assist the catalyst reaction.
Though it does in fact improve the efficiency of the Denox catalyst, the above solution requires design alterations to the exhaust system to accommodate the injection assembly and connect it to the fuel tank, as well as specific injection control elements involving considerable cost and "ad hoc" setup.